Forums highlight increased member services in 2004

HR Magazine,  Jan, 2004  by Beth McConnell

• E-mail
• Print
• Link

Volunteer leaders of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) heard an update on the Society's accomplishments for the year and its 2004 goals, including new virtual forums on SHRM Online, at the Leadership Conference held Nov. 13-15.

SHRM projected that the number of members would grow to 180,600 by the end of 2003. And because the organization has remained financially sound despite a tough economic climate, those members will not see a dues increase in 2004, according to SHRM's Board Chair David B. Hutchins, SPHR, and President and CEO Susan R. Meisinger, SPHR.

SHRM's goal for retention in 2003 was 79 percent, Meisinger said. "We're pretty happy with these [numbers], but we want them to be higher.... We're not satisfied," Meisinger said, adding that SHRM leaders want members to be able to use the organization as a resource throughout their careers.

Meisinger told the 850 volunteer leaders in attendance that SHRM will continue to provide services that will help fulfill its mission to serve the professional and advance the profession. "We are going to invest in staff resources, build content for our publications for members and reinvest in the membership," Meisinger said. "We want you to be proud of what we're doing as a business."

Building On 2003 Initiatives

Throughout 2003, SHRM had initiated several projects and programs to support SHRM's new vision statement, Meisinger reported. Among the efforts to increase member benefits were improvements to HR Magazine, the launch of the weekly e-newsletter HR Week, and the addition of more monthly webcasts and online chats, free to members.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

SHRM also funded a broad external public relations campaign to build recognition for the value of HR, which included sponsoring Public Radio International's "Marketplace Morning Report." This year, in conjunction with the Great Place to Work Institute, SHRM will publish the Best Small and Medium Companies to Work for in America, complementing Fortune magazine's similar list for companies with more than 1,000 employees.

The Society's premier education initiatives in 2003 were the launch of the SHRM e-Learning program, which currently provides more than 40 courses for professional development, and the publication of the HR Competency Toolkit. In addition, the SHRM Academy, designed to help HR professionals better understand business essentials, offered classes during the 2003 Annual Conference and Exposition in Orlando, Fla., and in the fall in Atlanta and Washington, D.C.

On Jan. 5, SHRM will launch eight virtual forums to provide industry- and issue-specific information and networking to all members. The forums will offer to all members information previously available only to members of SHRM's Professional Emphasis Groups (PEGs) and Global Forum, as well as two new areas: Total Rewards and HR Measurements. For more information, see www.shrm.org/shrmforums.

Replacing the SHRM Committees, panels with five to 15 professionals will serve as resources for identifying emerging issues and needs for SHRM activities and virtual forums. Twelve panels are expected to launch in 2004, with new ones created as needs arise.

To encourage membership in both SHRM and its local affiliated chapters, SHRM will begin a pilot program in 2004 to offer joint billing with chapters, sending members a single invoice to cover both SHRM and chapter dues. This will be rolled out to all chapters in 2004. Also, SHRM will investigate the ability for a prospective SHRM member to join a local chapter at the same time he or she joins SHRM. And SHRM will create an "e-filing cabinet," where members can keep track of re-certification credits.

The Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI), an affiliate of SHRM, also will offer a Global Professional in Human Resources certification at the Global Forum Conference in the spring. SHRM will launch the SHRM Global Learning System as a study tool for the exam in January.

The SHRM Foundation has planned to release an "HR Role Models" DVD series, showcasing HR executives who demonstrate the contributions that effective HR practices can make. The foundation offers the DVDs at a reduced price to chapters for programs.

To access the business meeting report, visit www.shrm.org/about.

Board Business

The board of directors in its Nov. 13 meeting welcomed two new members. Rita Bennett, director of corporate development for Care International, and Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas, CEO of Roosevelt Thomas Consulting & Training Inc., began serving a one-year term this month.

Hutchins will serve the second year of his two-year term as board chair in 2004. Rounding out the 2004 board are Chair-Designate for 2005-2006 Johnny C. Taylor Jr., J.D., SPHR; Secretary Janet N. Parker, SPHR; Treasurer Judith L. Streeter, PHR; and directors Mary Cheddie, SPHR; Judy Clark, SPHR; Robert O. Gonzales; Clint R. Gurney, CPA; C. Dennis Montgomery, SPHR; Nancy Volpe, SPHR; and Robb Van Cleave, SPHR.